Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 135792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
The ground had been burning wherever Liv stepped already, but this was too much.
“Cyborg, you’re a really swell guy, aren’t you? Making sure my boyfriend doesn’t get too cold while I’m not around.”
He’d barely started speaking and Knox’s head whipped his way, blue eyes wide as saucers, pouty lips parted, because he fucking knew he got caught red-handed. The fuck was this even? Was this… did this count as cheating? Nobody cheated on Liv, and while he and Knox were friends who’d fucked around one time, the stabbing deep inside consumed his insides like a piranha.
Was it possible Knox had fucked around with guys before, and Liv had simply never found out? He did have a few friends he trained kickboxing with, and Liv wasn’t with him twenty-four/seven. Maybe he’d acted so nervous after their morning tumble because he’d given in to Liv, not because he’d never been with a guy.
Then again, why would he have made those stupid homophobic jokes last night? To cover his tracks?
And what the fuck were those scratches on his face?
“You didn’t say you were coming,” Knox said after a long pause, pulling away from Cyborg as if he could pretend nothing happened.
“I called, but your phone lost juice. Can’t have you walking around unsupervised, or something like this will happen.” Liv let his thumb pass over the scratch, which looked pretty minor.
Cyborg’s not-dead eye squinted at Liv. Oh, he was pissed. He moved his arm off Knox like a good boy but didn’t appreciate being cockblocked.
“Lucky I was there to deal with it.”
Knox pushed away Liv’s hand, and for that to happen in front of Cyborg? That shit stung. “I can handle myself.”
Liv wasn’t often speechless, but the dismissal burned like being doused in acid.
“How about a word, Cy? Wanted to talk to you about this one thing,” Shane said, providing a convenient way for this four-way torture to end. Liv appreciated that.
Cyborg pumped his lungs full of air, then glared at Knox. “You two enjoy the party,” he said in a voice that made it painfully clear that he was not up for dealing with couple drama. With that, he was off, leaving Knox and Liv in awkward silence.
Knox balled his hands into fists, but when Liv reached to his face and rubbed off some crusted blood, he didn’t push him away. “I got in a fight, it’s nothing,”
It seemed any topic was preferable to the one they needed to discuss. A part of Liv itched to shove him back, to tell Knox things that would have made him burn in shame, but none of them would pass his throat, so he shrugged, trying to cool down.
“I spoiled your plans, huh?”
So maybe it was a bland thing to say, but how would one approach a fucked-up situation that felt like cheating even though it obviously wasn’t. Liv had enough one-night stands and fuck buddies in his life to know this, and yet… he and Knox were more than buddies. He deserved a conversation at least before Knox went off to hunt for another guy.
Though the very idea of Knox liking men was blowing his mind.
Knox took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his dirty blond hair, finally meeting Liv’s eyes. “I don’t know what I’m doing, so no, you didn’t spoil shit, because I have no plan, I’m completely fucking adrift.”
Nothing new there. Adrift had always been the quintessential description of Knox’s life. But that didn’t explain a thing.
Liv glanced over his shoulder, to make sure they really were alone, but once that was out of the way, he stepped closer, pushing Knox at the outer wall of the hangar.
“Neat excuse for cheating on your boyfriend. Do you even realize what’s at stake here? We’re wanted,” he said, because discussing the fake relationship they maintained for the sake of having refuge at Frank’s was easier than addressing the elephant-tall guy, who fortunately was no longer here.
Knox rolled his eyes. “You really think Frank would kick us out if he found out we fuck around? Only wholesome couples wanted at Wreck&Repair?” He didn’t put much viciousness into his voice though, nor did he push back.
He knew he was in the wrong at least, but that couldn’t put out the fire burning in Liv’s chest. His eyes were itchy from its biting smoke. “You didn’t want me here. That stings, man.”
Knox wrapped his arms on his chest, completing his defensive stance. “I just… I just wanted to do my thing.” When he stared down at their boots, his hair covered his eyes, but Liv needed to see them, so he brushed the blond strands out of Knox’s face. In the glow of the lamp, his skin had a golden sheen, more precious than any other riches a man might possess.
Liv exhaled. “And what was that thing? You’ve been shutting me out all day. You don’t do that to a friend.”